Safety razor



Dec. 8, 1936- F. M. s. PENNACCHINI SAFETY RAZOR Filed Feb. 7, 1936 l ramzlsmlennaachini,

Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 18 Claims.

This invention relates to safety razors and has for its object the production of an article of this character in which the cutting'blade is circular and adapted to be rotated while the blade is being drawn over the face of the user, thus producing a cleaner shave.

This object is attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing:

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one preferred form thereof is illustrated in the drawing, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

Of the drawing Figure 1 represents a plan of a safety razor embodying the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 represents an inverted plan of the same.

Figure 3 represents a vertical section on line 3-3 on Figs. 1 and 2.

Figure 4 represents a plan of said razor with the cover plate removed.

Figure 5 represents a section on line 5-5 on Fig. 3 looking upwardly.

Figure 6 represents a section on line 6-6 on Fig. 3 looking downwardly.

Figure 7 represents an elevation of the handle.

Figure 8 represents a plan of said handle.

Figure 9 represents an elevation of the razor with the handle removed.

Figure 10 represents an inverted plan of the razor with the handle removed, and

Figure 11 represents an elevation of a modified form of handle.

Similar characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures ofthe drawing.

In the drawing, Ill is a circular guard plate having at one point in its periphery a plurality of radial guard fingers II.

This guard plate ID has formed thereon or secured thereto a housing l2 provided with av tubular threaded projection l3 to which is threaded a hollow handle l4.

Extending through and revoluble in hearings in the guard plate l0 and housing I2 is a shaft l5, one end of which is squared as at l6 and fits an opening I! in a cutting disk 18 hav ng a keen knife edge W on the periphery thereof.

The disk It is secured to the shaft it by means of a headed screw 20.

Within the housing l2 and secured at one end to the rotatable shaft I5 is a spiral spring ill, the opposite end of which is secured to a fixed element such as the housing 112. 1

Secured to and rotatable with the shaft l5 1 is a ratchet 22 with which a pawl 23 is normally engaged by means of a spring 2t bearing thereon.

This pawl 23 prevents the accidental unwinding of the spring 2i.

The pawl 23 has a radial arm 25 formed thereon which provides a means whereby the pawl may be disengaged when desired from the ratchet 22 to permit the coiled spring M to unwind and in doing so rotate the shaft l5.

The upper end of the shaft i5 is provided with a clutch member 26 adapted to coact with a clutch member 21! on a slidable and rotatable rod 28 within the handle M.

This rod 28 is provided at its outer end with a knob 29 by which it may be rotated to wind the spring 2i when the clutch members 2t, W are in engagement.

Normally the rod 28 is forced outwardly by means of a helical spring 30 within the handle M, thereby retaining the clutch members 26, 21

free from engagement under normal conditions.

Hinged at 3| to the guard plate In is a cover plate 32 provided with spring clips 33 coacting with the guard plate I!) and holding said cover plate in engagement with the cutting disk It.

The upper edges of the cover plate 32 is so shaped that it will leave exposed only a small portion of the knife edge I 9 of the cutting disk I8 As previously stated, only a small portion of the guard plate In is provided with the guard fingers I I and the remainder of said guard plate I0 is provided with an outwardly extending lip Ila: opposite the knife edge [9 of the disk 18, thus preventing the knife edge l9 from cutting except at a point opposite the guard fingers H.

The guard plate Ill preferably has extending therefrom radial flanges 34 on either-side of the guard fingers I I which will confine the lather between these flanges and prevent it fromextending over the body of said guard plate.

The cutting disk IB is provided with oppositely disposed openings 35 extending therethrough to.

receive the fingers of the user when placing the cutting disk IS in position on the shaft l5 or removing said disk from said shaft.

Insteadof the long handle shown in Figs. 3

and 7 a shorter handle 36 such as shown in Fig. 11 may be used.

This latter handle is provided with two openings 31 therethrough to receive two fingers by which the razor may be firmly held while in use.

When an ordinary safety razor is in use there will be more or less pulling upon the beard but this pulling action is wholly overcome by the rotation of the circular cutting disk i8.

The term knife edge used throughout the specification and claims is intended to mean an edge as sharp as that of any razor blade.

The knob 29 has a reduced portion 38 threaded to the rod 28.

Surrounding this reduced portion 38 is the spring 30 bearing at one end against the hub 39 of the knob 29 and at the opposite end against the shoulder 40 formed within the hollow handle l4.

At the inner end of the rod 28 is a flange ll bearing against a shoulder on the tubular handle H to limit the outward movement of said rod.

The razor as shown and described may be used as an ordinary razor if desired, the guard fingers l I being moved over the face of the user without rotating the disk l8.

When, however, the spiral spring 2| has been wound as in the manner described, the operator may draw the guard fingers il over the face of the user, at the same time pressing inwardly upon the arm 25 thereby permitting the cutting disk J8 to rotate.

In doing this the shaving will be performed with two actions, the drawing of the knife edge over the face of the user and at the same time permitting the knife edge l9 to act sidewise on the beard as the disk l8 rotates.

This double operation will give a quicker and much cleaner shave.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of the invention will be understood without further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A safety razor comprising a circular flanged guard plate having at one point thereon the flange removed and provided with a plurality of guard fingers, an end plate covering the fiangedportion of said guard plate and leaving the guard fingers exposed, a disk with sharp knife edge interposed between said plates, a housing on said guard plate, and means confined within said housing for rotating said disk.

2. A safety razor comprising a circular guard plate provided with a plurality of guard fingers, an end plate secured to said guard plate, a disk with knife edge interposed between said plates, a housing on said guard plate, a rotatable shaft secured .to said disk and extending through said housing, a spiral spring in said housing secured at opposite ends to said shaft and a. fixed element, a ratchet secured to the outer end of said shaft, and a locking pawl pivoted to said housing and engaging said ratchet.

3. A safety razor comprising a circular guard plate provided with a plurality of guard fingers, an end plate secured to said guard plate, a disk with knife edge interposed between said plates, a housing on said guard plate, a rotatable shaft secured to said disk and extending through said housing, a spiral spring in said housing secured at opposite ends to-said shaft and a fijxed element, a. ratchet secured to the outer end of said shaft, 9. locking pawl pivoted to said housing and engaging said ratchet, and means for winding said spring.

4. A safety razor comprising a circular guard plate provided with a plurality of guard fingers, an end plate hinged to said guard plate, means for locking said end plate to the guard plate, a disk with knife edge interposed between said plates, a housing on said guard plate, a. rotatable shaft secured to said disk and extending through said housing, a spiral spring in said housing secured at opposite ends to said shaft and. a fixed element, a ratchet secured to the outer end of said shaft, and a locking pawl pivoted to said housing and engaging said ratchet.

5. A safety razor comprising a circular guard plate provided with a plurality of guard fingers,- an end plate hinged to said guard plate, means; for locking said end plate to the guard plate, a disk with knife-edge interposed between said plates, a. housing on said guard plate, a rotatable shaft secured to said disk and extending through said! housing, a spiral spring in said housing secured at opposite ends to said shaft and a fixed element, a ratchet secured to the outer end of said shaft, a locking pawl pivoted to said housing and engaging said ratchet, a handle secured to said housing, and means within said handle for winding said spring.

6. A safety razor comprising a. circular guard plate provided with a. plurality of guard fingers, an end plate secured to said guard plate, a disk with knife edge interposed between said plates, a housing on said guard plate, a rotatable shaft secured to said disk and extending through said housing, a spiral spring in said housing secured at opposite ends to said shaft and a fixed element, a ratchet secured to the outer end of said shaft, a locking pawl pivoted to said housing and engaging said ratchet, and means for disengaging said pawl from said ratchet.

7. A safety razor comprising a circular guard plate provided with a plurality of guard fingers, an end plate secured to said guard plate, a disk with knife edge interposed between said plates, a housing on said guard plate, a rotatable shaft secured to said disk and extending through said housing, a spiral spring in said housing secured at opposite ends to said shaft and a fixed element, a ratchet secured to the outer end of said shaft, 9. locking pawl pivoted to said housing and engaging said ratchet, means for disengaging said pawl from said ratchet, a handle secured to said housing, and rotatable means extending axially through said handle for winding sai spring.

8. A safety razor comprising a circular guard plate provided with a plurality of guard fingers, an end plate secured to said guard plate, a disk with knife edge interposed between said plates, a housing on said guard plate, a rotatable shaft secured to saiddisk and extending through said housing, a spiral spring in said housing secured at opposite ends to said shaft and a fixed element, a ratchet secured to the outer end of said shaft, a locking pawl pivoted to said housing and engaging said ratchet, and a handle secured to and extending axially from said housing.

9. A safety razor comprising a circular guard plate provided with a plurality of guard fingers, an end plate secured to said guard plate, a disk with knife edge interposed between said plates, a housing on said guard plate, a rotatable shaft secured to said disk and extending through said housing, a spiral spring in said housing secured at opposite ends to said shaft and a fixed element, a ratchet secured to the outer end of said shaft, a locking pawl pivoted to said housing and engaging said ratchet, a handle secured to and extending axially from said housing, a rotatable clutch member movable endwise in said handle into engagement with said shaft to permit the winding of said spring.

10. A safety razor comprising a circular guard plate provided with a plurality of guard fingers, an end plate secured to said guard plate, a disk with knife edge interposed between said plates, a housing on said guard plate, a rotatable shaft secured to said disk and extending through said housing, a spiral spring in said housing secured at opposite ends to said shaft and a fixed element, a ratchet secured to the outer end of said shaft, a locking pawl pivoted to said housing and engaging said ratchet, and means for winding said spring.

11. A safety razor comprising a circular guard plate provided with a plurality of guard fingers, an end plate secured to said guard plate, a disk with knife edge interposed between said plates, a housing on said guard plate, a rotatable shaft secured to said disk and extending through said housing, a spiral spring in said housing secured at opposite ends to said shaft and a fixed element, a ratchet secured to the outer end of said shaft, a locking pawl pivoted to said housing and engaging said ratchet, a handle secured to said housing, and means for winding said spring confined within said handle and including a rotatable clutch member movable endwise into locking engagement with said shaft.

12. A safety razor comprising a circular guard plate provided with a plurality of guard fingers, an end plate secured to said guard plate, a disk with knife edge interposed between said plates, a housing on said guard plate, a rotatable shaft secured to said disk and extending through said -means for disengaging said pawl from 13. A safety razor comprising a circular guard plate provided with a plurality of guard fingers, an end plate secured to said guard plate, a disk with knife edge interposed between said plates, a housing on said guard plate, a rotatable shaft secured to said disk and extending through said housing, a spiral spring in said housing secured at opposite ends to said shaft and a fixed element, a ratchet secured to the outer end of said shaft, a spring actuated locking pawl pivoted to said housing and engaging said ratchet, means for disengaging said pawl from said ratchet, a handle extending axially from said housing, a rotatable clutch member within said handle and movable endwise into locking engagement with said shaft, and a spring for retaining said clutch member disengaged from said shaft under normal conditions.

14. A safety razor comprising a circular guard plate, an end plate, a disk with sharp knife edge interposed between said plates, a housing on the guard plate, a spring confined within said housing for rotating said disk, a detachable handle extending axially from said guard plate, means for winding said spring confined within said handle, mechanism for retaining said spring inactive, and a, device for releasing said spring to permit the rotation of said disk.

15. A safety razor comprising a circular guard plate, an end plate, a disk with sharp knife edge interposed between said plates and provided with a central means for connection with a revoluble shaft and with two oppositely disposed fingerreceiving openings, and an encased spring adja-- cent said guard plate for rotating said shaft and disk.

16. A safety razor comprising a circular guard plate, an end plate, a disk with sharp knife edge interposed between said plates, a housing on said guard plate, a normally inactive spring confined within said housing for rotating said disk, means for placing said spring in action, and a handle secured to said guard plate and provided with two alined lateral flanges having finger receiving openings therein for holding the razor while in use.

FRANCIS M. S. PENNACCHINI. 

